British Columbians go to restaurants for the food, according to a new Research Co. poll of provincial dining habits.

That’s a truism, of course, but it stands in stark contrast to the other aspects of the dining experience that fail to move the needle for those dining out in the province. Only one in twenty B.C. residents, or five per cent, would go back to a restaurant where the service is great but the food is terrible.

On the flipside, more than half of British Columbians, at 52 per cent, say they would return to a restaurant where the food is great but too expensive, and that’s especially true for young people, among whom a whopping 70 per cent say they’d be willing to overpay for a good restaurant meal.

The life of a foodie is far from a frugal one, and the notorious foodies of B.C. appear to have accepted that. According to Research Co. numbers, which are based on an online study of 800 adults conducted between Jan. 2-4 of 2018, only 24 per cent would go to a restaurant where the food is cheap, and tastes like it.

But that only makes sense: if it’s bad food at a low price-point that this province’s residents crave, they’ll just ruin a meal at home, which is far cheaper, and a 20 per cent tip is hardly expected. A large part of this is the exorbitant cost of going out, something that becomes increasingly difficult as housing and other living expenses continue to rise.

Across the province, 48 per cent of residents say they dine out about once a month or less, with just 13 per cent reporting that they dine out a couple of times a week or more. Among the the 18-to-34 demographic, just 18 per cent say they visit restaurants twice in one month.

Unsurprisingly, then, few are dining out to be treated nicely by the staff, although when they get good service, 38 per cent say they tip more than 20 per cent.

But if British Columbians are going to empty their wallets on a dining experience, they want the food to taste better than it does at home, and they’re willing to do their research to ensure it.

Nearly half of all B.C. residents, or 47 per cent, visit a restaurant’s website before making a reservation — including 62 per cent of those who reside in the Lower Mainland.

In short, if you’re hoping to get British Columbians to open up their wallets at your restaurant, a strong and well-reviewed online presence is key.

And British Columbians aren’t shy about expressing their opinions about their dining experience. More than a third of British Columbians (35 per cent) have complimented a good time out to a restaurant manager over the past year, including 43 per cent of those aged 55 and over.

Meanwhile, one-in-four British Columbians say they’ve sent a bad dish back, and one in five say they’ve left a restaurant without tipping.